Past tense of sink
The past simple of sink is sank and the past participle is sunk: sink – sank – sunk.
- Base form V1
- sink
- Past simple V2
- sank
- Past participle V3
- sunk
Sunk is also used in American English.
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Meaning of sink
To go or cause something to go beneath a liquid's surface or down to its bottom
- ExampleThe damaged boat sank rapidly.
Sink, sank, sunk in sentences
- Past simpleThe boat sank in ten minutes.
- Past participleThe ship has sunk near the coast.
Common mistakes
sinkedsank. Sink is irregular, so it does not take -ed.The ship has sank near the coast.The ship has sunk near the coast. After have, use the past participle, sunk.
Similar verbs
All three forms different, like sink: be, do, go, know, see, take, give, write.
Common questions
What is the past tense of sink?
Sank. For example: The boat sank in ten minutes.
What is the past participle of sink?
Sunk. It follows have in the perfect tenses, as in The ship has sunk near the coast.
Is sink a regular verb?
No. Sink is irregular: its past forms do not end in -ed.
